Healing
by Ellivia22
Summary: When a tragedy strikes the Martin family, London is there to show Zack that he doesn't have to go through everything alone. Warning: character death. LOCK slight Zack/Cody brotherly. R&R


(A/N: Hello all I'm back. I hope you enjoy this story. Please review and take care. Love, Ellivia22)

(A/N: I'd like to thank Boris Yeltsin for giving me this idea. Thanks a lot :))

Disclaimer: If I owned Suite Life, I would have the movie on DVD

****Healing****

****London****

It's a beautiful day outside. The sun is shining bright in a cloudless sky. What a perfect day to do the thing I love most in the world: shopping. I leave my apartment, locking the door behind me. I can't believe it's been a full year since I actually graduated from high school. Life has been getting even better since then.

For the past six months, I've been in a relationship with none other than Zack Martin. I've been crazy about him ever since the marriage project, but never did anything about my feelings. I knew he didn't feel the same and when he started dating Maya, it hurt more than anything.

Then a few months after he and Maya broke up, Zack started calling me again. He and Cody were staying at the Tipton for winter break. At first I thought Zack just wanted me for the rebound, but now I know that's not the case. Zack truly loves me, and I couldn't be any happier. Now it's summertime, which means more chances to spend time together before school starts again. Zack and I have dinner plans scheduled tonight after he gets off work.

I jingle the car keys to my brand new purple sports car, a graduation gift from Daddy. I'm not really sure where I want to go shopping today, but figure a nice drive around the city of Boston will help me figure it out. My phone vibrates in my pocket. I pull it out. "Hello?"

"London, it's Carey." Her voice is wavy and barely audible. My heart drops to my stomach like a pound of lead. Something is horribly wrong.

"What happened?" I ask urgently.

"There was an explosion at the chemical lab where Cody was working. He didn't make it." A wave of sobs vibrate on the phone. "A memorial service will be held on Saturday at 2PM."

My hand is shaking so much I can barely hold onto my phone. I think I have stopped breathing. __Cody's dead? I can't believe it! I can't believe that one of my best friends is gone__.

My thoughts immediately turn to my boyfriend. I know he and Cody were really close, even if they wouldn't admit it. He must be absolutely devastated. I swallow the lump in my throat, tears rolling down my face as the reality hits me. "H-how's Zack doing?"

"Not well. He won't leave their-his bedroom."

"I'll be right over," I promise. I hang up the phone and hurry to my car. Zack needs me and I'm going to be there for him. I just hope that I can be of some help.

LZL

A few minutes later I knock on the door to suite 2330. I had been standing outside the suite for a few minutes before knocking because I am afraid. I have no idea what I'm going to see. I've never dealt with death before and don't know what I'm going to be witnessing.

Carey opens the door. Her brown hair is disheveled, her face pale. Her eyes are red rimmed and there are tearstains on her pale cheeks. I hug her tightly. "I'm so sorry, Carey." It's weird showing my sensitive side, but now is the best time to do so. "Any luck with Zack?"

"No. And he's locked the door. We can't get in."

I put a hand on her shaking shoulder. "I'll take care of it."

I enter the suite. It looks the same like it always has. The only problem with it is that Cody is no longer with us. My chest tightens in pain and loss. Kurt and Mr. Moseby are sitting on the couch talking quietly. I can't imagine what Carey and Kurt are feeling right now. Most of all, I can't imagine what Zack is feeling right now. Cody was his twin.

"Bailey should be here later tonight," I hear Carey tell Kurt and Mr. Moseby.

I knock on Zack's door. "Zack, it's London. Can I come in?"

No response. My heart clenches. I hope he's all right. I take the hairpin out of my dark hair and insert it in the keyhole. After jiggling with the lock for a few seconds, I manage to get the door open.

I enter the bedroom, shutting the door behind me. I know Zack doesn't want to be surrounded by people right now. Zack is sitting on Cody's bed, staring blankly at the wall. Cody's old blanket is sitting in his lap. This is worse than I could possibly imagine. I take an easy step towards him, preparing to do whatever I can to be there for the person I love. He can't face this alone.

****Zack****

I stare at the wall blankly. My hands are absent-mindedly clutching Cody's old blanket tight. I don't know how long I've been sitting in our room, but I'm beyond the point of caring. I keep trying to make sense of what just happened. The events of an hour ago refuse to leave my mind, and I fear it never will for as long as I live.

__I opened the door to my brother's ICU room, holding my breath. I couldn't believe what just happened. I was at work, trying to fix a broken heater when I got the call the I never wanted to get ever in my life. Cody was in the hospital and it didn't look good. This explained the terrible pain I felt all over. Once I heard that my brother was hurt, I hurried to the hospital as fast as I could.__

__I forced back a sob. When I reached the hospital, the doctor told Mom, Dad, and I that Cody had suffered a severe head injury from the explosion. There was nothing they could do. He only had minutes left to live. Mom and Dad had their time with Cody so now it was my turn. I knew my brother was scared, even if he was unconscious. I was determined to be there until he took his last breath. I hoped I wasn't too late.__

__My heart shattered into a million pieces like broken glass. It hurt so much seeing my little brother lying there in the hospital bed. Cody was attached to what seemed like a million machines. Tubes were in his mouth, breathing for him. The heart monitor was beeping so slowly. It killed me to see my brother suffer so much. I could feel how terrible Cody's pain was, I wished desperately that I was in his place instead.__

__I sat next to my twin and took his IVed hand. His hand felt cold, yet familiar. I stared at my brother. Cody's face was chalky white, yet covered in deep gashes. His head was bandaged up. With my free hand, I stroked his soft hair gently. "I'm here, little brother," I barely managed to choke out. "You don't need to be afraid anymore."__

__Though my brother was lying in a hospital bed, dying, I couldn't show him how much I didn't want to lose him. I couldn't show him how much it killed me to see him hurt like this. Worst of all, I didn't have the ability to tell Cody how much I loved him.__

"__Please don't leave me, Cody. You're my twin, my other half. I need you," I blurted out.__

I'm dying, Zack. You have to let me go__.__

__My blue eyes widened hearing Cody's voice in my head. I was relieved to hear his voice, but devastated by his words. Cody's voice was weak and barely audible. I squeezed his hand. ____"You shouldn't have gotten hurt. I should've been there to protect you, like an older brother is supposed to. I failed you."__

Don't blame yourself, Zack. What happened wasn't your fault. The important thing is you're here for me right now when I need you the most. And for that I'm grateful.

__It took all that I was to keep the tears from falling down my face. I wanted more than anything to let my emotions show, but I had to be strong for my brother in his last moments on this earth. I never wanted to let him go, but I knew I had no choice. I struggled to find the right words to tell my twin goodbye. The beeps on the heart monitor were becoming less frequent. "I love you, Cody. I hope you know that."__

I know. I love you too, Zack. You're the best brother a guy could ask for

__The heart monitor let out a long BEEEP. I felt our twin connection break. As soon as I could no longer feel Cody, I felt my soul shatter. My chest seared in agony as if a part of me was being literally torn away. A silent tear fell down my face. My life was never going to be the same. I wasn't sure that I'd ever be happy again. I kissed Cody's still forehead one last time then numbly left his ICU room.__

How could God do this to me? How could he take away the most important person in my life? The only person who truly understood me inside and out. My twin. Nothing seems to make sense to me anymore. How could my life go on without Cody in it? I miss him more than anything in the world. Yet a part of me still refuses to believe that this really happened.

I hear the door open and close. I look up, thinking that it's Cody coming in with a ton of books in his arms. My eyes lowered when I realize it is just London. She sits next to me on the bed. "Zack?" Her sweet voice eases the tightness in my chest slightly. Though I am emotionally a mess, words can't explain how relieved I am that she's here.

"Cody's blanket," I mumble, staring at the blue fabric in my hands. "He never went anywhere without it when we were younger."

London wraps her arms around me cautiously. I lean against her, my arms circling around her skinny waist, still clutching the blanket. I breathe in her sweet perfume, calming me down a bit. She strokes my hair gently. Her touch is gentle and soothing. We stay in an embrace for what feels like hours. I have no desire to leave it. Having London so close is the only thing that is keeping me from going insane.

A small sob escapes from London. I look into London's deep brown eyes. London's eyes are red and full of grief. This makes everything even more real. It really happened. My brother is dead. The thread that has been holding me up for who knows how long finally snapped. I grip on London tight, the tears falling so fast from my eyes that I can't see. I bury my head into London's shoulder. My tears are soaking her purple dress, but she doesn't seem to mind.

"I s-should've been there. I s-should've saved him."

"There's no point beating yourself up on something that was beyond your control. The only thing you can do is move on. That's what Cody would've wanted." I sob harder at the mention of my brother's name, but continue to listen to my girlfriend's comforting words. London's voice is full of passion and love. She hugs me tighter. "I know it's hard right now and it will be hard for a while. But no matter what happens, I'll be there to help you move on. I promise."

I reach up and kiss London's damp cheek gently. Touching her skin sends a warm feeling up and down my entire body. "Thanks London. I love you."

"I love you too, Zack."

London and I spend the next few hours sitting in my bedroom, holding each other close. Over this period of time, I've been feeling much better. Thanks to London, it doesn't hurt so much. I'm always going to miss my twin, my best friend. But with London by my side, the healing process can begin.

****The End****

****Thanks for reading. Please review :)****


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